The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-09-13

His Queen ForgiVes Him for an
Ancient Crime
COMMITTED BEFORE HER BIRTH.


From the Providence Telegram.
Sevcnty-two years ago Robert Ti1rell com
mitted a crime against his reigning sovereign,
King George the Third Of England. Three
days ago Iirrell, now nincty-three years old,
received royal pardon for his ofense from
the hands OF his offended monarch grand
daughter, Queen Victoria, and now, after an
absence Of nearly three-quarters Of century,
he is about to return to his native land that he
may die among his kin and again TO see the
places he knew before compelled to 90 into
| exile
IirrelPs crime was one that the present gem
Grafton regard very lightly. He was a soldier
IN the Bluffs, one Of King Georges regiments,
which had Just returned from the United
States where it had participated in the war Of
1872. Tirrell, at the age of twenty, enlisted
in this battalion a few days after its return to
England, and was ordered to proceed with
II to Belgium some six months later, when
Napoleon was playing his last stake for
empire. He was simple country lad, and
had been inveigled into enlistment by a cum
ming recruiting sergeant, who had made him
drunk and then slipped the kings shilling into
his pocket, thus enabling him to drag the rus
tic off to the wars in spite Of his entrcatie
Iirrell admits that he was a great coward, and
in such mortal fear of Bonaparte whom he
had been taught to look upon as anti-C hrist,
that when the troops wero reviewed by the
prince regent previous to their departure for
France, he stepped from the ranks as he who
was afterward George the Fourth rode down
the line, and begged to be allowed to go home.
The prince called him poltroon and passed on.
Being in General Pictons division and en-
camped on the banks OF the River Nivelles,
1irrell on the 18th Of June, 1915, planned
with comrade to escape the pending battle by
doserlng. This comrade was also an abiect
coward, and trembled at the prospect OF
encountering the conqueror Of Europe, but
being detected he was unable TO get beyond
the lines, and on the 18th, the eve Of the great
battle of Waterloo, his fear was so great that
he deliberately severed the hamstring of his
left leg, thus Gripping himself for life. He
was taken to the medical quarters, and Water
loo was fought and won without his presence
During the hundred days occupation of Paris
this miserable coward was tried by court
martial and was sentenced to death The
duke of Wellington did not approve the
proceedings when submitted to him. lie
thought an honorable form of death from the
nuskets OF soldiers was too good for the cow
ard. The sentence was therefore changed
and the condemned was sentenced to have the
hamstring Of his other leg severed, and to be
kept prisoner ut Fort Pitt, Chatham, for the
balance of his life. Furthermore, that on
every anniversary Of Waterloo he was to be
taken from his bed and fogged with CATO
nine-tails, 100 lashes per annum.
In tho meantime Tirrell had better luck.
He succeeded in crossing the Nivelle, and the
next day fell into the hands of Marshal News
dragons, who first sabrod him and then ques-
toned him. Having learned the cause of his
desertion, they had no use for him, and he was
allowed to take himself off with a terrible cash
in his shoulder, He finally succeeded in reach
ing Hayre, where he secured a place aboard an
American ship and came to this country. In
Richmond, Va, he married, reared large
family and is now grandfather.
Seyenty-two years have been added TO the
march of time since the night when Private
Tirrell's terror of Bonaparte caused him TO
soyer his connection with the house of Iano-
yer. The king whose colors he deserted has
been Wondering in his mausoleum nearly
three score years and ten; the regent who
called him coward has regned and been dust
more than half Il century; SO, too, that great
ogre Napoleon Bonaparte, of whom he stood
III more dread than the devil. A third king
of England came and went the way of all
men, and another has sat on the throne Of
England half a hundred years, and vet Rob
crt Tirrell has lived and flouished, but dared
not set foot on British soil for fear of meet
ing the consequences Of his crime. That le
might have done SO with perfect safety any
time during the last fifty years there can be
10 doubt but Terill would take no chances
When he lived in England there were moro
than two hundred otenscs for which the
prescribed punishment was death, and descr-
lion was one of them. Pilories and eal-crop-
ping were still fashionable. Tyburn tree bios
somCd every Monday morning with stranded
lawbreakors, and il was penal seryitude to
damn the royal family in the hearing Of two
or more persons. All things considered Tir-
rell thought it prudent never to leave Ameri-
can soil. Had his ofcnSe been committed a
few years before 1873 he could have obtained
pardon in a very short time, as his king at his
jubilee celebration extended the same clew-
ency to descrtels rs Queen Victoria now cx-
tends to commemorate the hfticth year Of her
reign.
These pardons are only granted at iubileas.
and as there had been bat three royal iuhiiecs
among the monarchS of England from the
time of Cesar. Iirrolls chances were slim In
June last he read in the papers about the row
al proclamation, and having obtained q cony
of IL he wrote 90 Ho%Cguuds for the pardon
VoUchSated him. it is stated that when his
great great grandson sat down to address tile
letter at the old mans diCtation. the latter
told him 60 send TO the Duke Of Wellington.
whom, for the moment he Thought to be- sill
him the Iron Duke had been in his grave near
forty years. and then the letter was addressed
to the Colonel of the "Blutfs" who no doubt
forwarded it TO HoEeguards. The search
among the ancient archives of Waterloo must
have given the war Office clerk a pile Of
trouble for tie answer did
not arrive until Wednesday, last.
Ii was not much OF document to come from
the hand of an empress-a plain piece OF print
ed paper containing all the curtness Of such
correspondence ltmerely states in a natter
ol-laot way that Private Tirrell who abscnted
himself from his regiment without leave ON
juno H. 1918, is, by this royal decree, exempt
from military service, and from the pains and
penalties Of his otfcnSe. There is war Office
stamp affixed, and Private Tireu is informed
thar should he hc recognized and arrested as q
deSertcr lac must produce this certificate or ap-
ply Tor n duplicate. Recognized! At tho
present time thorc is not man in the British
army who was born when he quit the ranks
The uusenUmeutUl officials took no more no.
tcc of Tiwyll Jhan II lac had deserted but YES
terday, and those who know them well assert
that were tt man 10 write for a pardon in the
name of ono who skedaddled during the reign
Of Elizabeth, the duuderhcads would send he
same printed form. il they discovered the